How to Clean the Fretboard Effectively at Home

If you love your instrument, then it is in your best interest to keep it in top playing condition. The only way to do this is to learn to clean it.

In this article, we will discuss how to properly clean the bass guitar fret board so that you can play grime free for months to come.

First off, to clean your fret board, you will need a few tools. Unless you have a maple fret board, you will need some lemon oil. The other tools you will require are two microfiber cloths, a tooth brush, guitar polish (that says safe for fret boards), and a second cloth. The second cloth does not need to be microfiber.

Step By Step Guide to Getting Your Fretboard Clean

The first thing you will need to do is wipe down your fret board. If you have an ebony wood or rosewood fret board, you may see some white and greenish flakes on the neck. These flakes are dead skin. When you play, believe it or not, your skin can flake off.

You don’t feel it because the flakes, when they come off, are microscopic. Over time they build up and create thicker wads of gunk. You won’t be able to get off all of the gunk with the cloth, and that isn’t the purpose of the first wipe down. You are simply trying to clean off some of it to make your job easier.

Once you are finished with your first wipe down, spray your tooth brush with that fret board safe guitar cleaner. Now go to work on your frets. Don’t be afraid to scrub; this is the purpose of the tooth brush.

Get into the grains as well as you can to get rid of as much gunk as you can. When you are finished scrubbing the frets themselves, get to work on the fret wire. Be sure to work both sides of the fret wire. You want to get all of the grime off this time around, which means that you need to be absolutely thorough.

Once you are finished scrubbing away, wipe down your fret boar with one of your clean micro fiber cloths. Make sure that you remove all of the grime and scrubbed up gunk, as the next portion of your cleaning requires an entirely clean fret board.

Once your fret board is naked of all dead skin, pour on your lemon oil. Most lemon oils have applicators; use them to cover each and every entire fret. Don’t be too worried about getting any on your fret wire; it won’t hurt it.

Letting It All Soak In

Now go read or play some music for ten minutes and allow the lemon oil to soak into the grains of your neck. Remember, if you have a maple neck, do not use lemon oil. Your bass guitar maintenance job was done after wiping away your scrubbings, as the only place you needed to scrub was the fret wire.

After ten minutes, wipe away the excess lemon oil. You have successfully learned to clean the bass guitar fret board. String up and go play.

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About The Author

Hi, my name is David Woods. My first-hand experience with a private tutor was one filled with frustration. That's why I had created this website to help bass players get a head start in their musical journey.